Cabinet for sheet-music.



N0 MODEL.

PATBNTED APR. 14, 1903.

0. H. STEWART.

CABINET FOR SHEET MUSIC.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. so, 1902.

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OTIS HUGH STEWART,

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OF lMIDDLPORT, OHIO.

CABINET Foa SHEET-Mosto.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 725,170, dated April. 14, 1903.

Application filed January 30, 1902. Serial No. 91,837. (No modela patent issued to me on January 7, 1902, and

intended for use to store papers in form of sheets and folios-like sheet-music, for instance. The present invention contemplates certain improvements and changes of construction as against the device described in this previous patent. In said device it Was the object to constructsuch a cabinet in a manner to be of easy, convenient, and ready access and at the same time be provided with means to close the same securely to protect its contents against dust, such closing to be attained without using hinged or swingingV members like lids or doors, thus avoiding the obstruction they would form by taking up space or becoming otherwise objectionable while opened out. With this object in view a sectional or liexible cover or'sheet was used, forming when closed a part of the inclosing sides of the cabinet and supported in a manner to permit opening; by means of a sliding movement. The cabinet was, furthermore, so arranged and constructed with the means used as to be particularly fitted as to size and shape for the intendedA purpose and to inclose the designated articles in the most advantageous, practical, and economical manner, so as to avoid all loss of space and undue increase in size.

This present invention relates to improvements and changes in the construction of the means for supporting the sliding cover.

It further relates to new means for internally bracing such a cabinet, and it finally relates to such details of construction as are incidentally due to the features first mentioned.

In the following specificationJ and particularly pointed out in the claims following, is found a full description of the invention, together with its manner of use, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of such a cabinet partly open and portions broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection of the cabinet between its top and bottom. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of it between its sides.. Fig. 4 is .an enlarged detail View showing a part of the outer side of one of the sides near one of the-upper corners, it showing at the same time a modied construction. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the preceding figure, showing also a further modification.

The cabinet consists, primarily, of two sides 10 10, connected to each other by means internally bracing the cabinet and which means may also serve to support part or all of the intended contents. These means may be a shelf or bottom 11, upon which the contents are piled or stacked up, or a number of such shelves may be used, as shown at 11a in Fig. 5, thus furnishing a possibility to arrange andv assort the contents. Near the upright rear edges of the sides they may be connected by a vertically-disposed brace member l2, which, particularly in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3, is of advantage as providing additional means to increase the stability of the cabinet. As will be seen, there are no permanently-connected front, top, or rear sides to this cabinet, and such members are all contained in a flexible cover formed by a number of parallel-arranged strips or cleats 13, connected to leach other along their inner longer edges by'means of articulated joints. In practice this cover may be constructed by providing asheet of belting or canvas 14, upon whichthese strips are secured. The width ofthe cover, or what is the equivalent, the length of the strips of which it is composed, is such as to enable them to reach fully'over the edges of the sides, and they carry projections 15, all of equal size,.forming guide-pieces which occupy and are fitted into grooves 16 in the outer surface of the sides near their edges thereof and parallel thereto. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, these grooves are in the edges of the sides, and in the forms shown in Figs. 4t

and 5 they are inthe outside of the sides near their edges. This requires, in the first case, that these grooves be undercut or of dovetailed shape, so that with guide-pieces 15 correspondingly shaped the cover is held in place. In the second case (forms shown inFigs.-4 and 5) such is not necessary, since the guidepieces are disposed at an angle to the strips. In this latter case should the guide-strips be of sheet metal their ends may be bent around the corners of the sides, and guide-pieces 15 secured accordingly. brackets 17 are usedv which are attached to the ends of strips 13. Guide-pieces l5 may be simply lugs, or they may be small rollers, so as to reduce friction. The grooves may b e metal-lined, or metal strips shaped accordingly to further promote easy movement may be used. It is now plain that ready access to the interior of the cabinet may be had by simply moving the cover in the direction of the arrows, as shown in Fig. 3, the same sliding then by means of its guide-pieces 15 in grooves 16, the inner end of said cover advancing and moving toward the front under bottom shelf 11. In this way those parts of the cover forming, respectively, the front and back of the cabinet are simply moved in planes and directions parallel to the particular parts of the outside of the cabinet and entirely within the confines and limits of the same, so that at no time the bulk or size of the same is increased by projections caused by opened or drawn-out doors or lids. The frontpart of the coverforms then the top of the cabinet and the back part of the cover slidesunder the bottom thereof. The amount of space for access may be increased by continuing this movement, so that also part of the top is moved rearward and becomes open. The cover may be entirely drawn. off in either direction, if such should become necessary or desirable for any purpose-as, forinstance, repairs, duc. To facilitate its manipulation, a handpiece 18 is provided in front. In order to permit the cover to slide under bottom shelf 1l, it becomes necessary to provide space for such purpose, which is done by raising the cabinet by means of feet 19, attached to the outside of sides 11 and curved in a manner that they clear the ends of strips 13, while they travel on the under side and below the lower edges of the sides. They may come down straight or be curved on their lower ends, either inwardly or outwardly. I prefer to turn them inwardly to prevent as much as possible any parts projecting beyond the body of the cabinet. They are preferably covered or cushioned by a soft substance like felt, for instance, as shown at 2l, to prevent them from marring any polished surfaces in case the cabinet is placed on such. Those on one side may be connected with those on the other by a brace 22, whereby they are more securely held in position.

Where a more elaborate or extended system of assortment of the contents is desired,

In case of wood angle-y affording at the same time a certain degree of liexibility and adjustment, the otherwise equivalent shelves 1l2h could be dispensed with and in their stead separating-sheets 23, as shown in Figs. l and 3, substituted, having at their front edges suitable accessible tabs 24, indicating by'letters of the alphabet or otherwise the character of the contents above the particularsheet. At their rear edges these sheets are perforated or have perforated tabs 25, whereby they are strung on upright rods 2,which, with their lower ends, are set into bottom shelf 11 and are held by their upper ends by braces 27, projecting from the sides inwardly. Papers or musicfolios may now be classified according to title or character and are then placed on top of the particular separating-sheet, as indicated by the tab thereon, they being kept separated from the other papers by the other sheet above it.

In either case-that is, whether shelves or equivalent sheets are used-the papers are kept perfectly flat, and when the cover is in a position where it forms and colnpletes the inclosure of the box the contents are also securely protected against dust.

Having described my in vention, I claim as new-- 1. A cabinet for the purpose described, substantially box-shaped, having two parallel sides and a bottom shelf permanently connected to each other, a combined front, top and rear side in form of `a flexible cover which completes the inclosure of the cabinet, the said cover being supported on the sides in a manner to have a sliding movement in a direction within its own plane whereby, when that part of the iieXible cover forming the front of the cabinet is raised, the interior of the cabinet is rendered accessible, and legs to raise the cabinet sufficiently to permit that part of the cover forming the back of the cabinet to pass under the same, said legs connected to the outside of the sides so as to permit also the cover to pass between them, while traveling on the under side and below the lower edges of the sides.

2. A cabinet for the purpose described, substantially box-shaped and haying two parallel sides permanently connected to each other, a iieXible cover, forming part of the balance of the inclosing sides, the same being tted against the edges of theparallel sides mentioned, grooves in the outer surfaces of these sidesand guide-pieces projecting from the cover thereinto, thus holding the latter on the cabinet, access to the interior of this latter being had by sliding the cover out of a position in which it completed the inclosure of the cabinet.

3. A cabinet for the purpose described, substantially box-shaped and having two parallel sides permanently connected to each other, a flexible cover, forming part of the balance of the inclosing sides, the same being fitted against the edges of the parallel sides men- IOO IOS

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tioned, grooves in the outer surfaces of these sides, guide-pieces projecting from the cover into these grooves, thus holding the cover to the cabinet, but leaving it free to slide in a direction within its own plane so that when the front edge of the cover is raised, the interior of the cabinet is rendered accessible and legs connected to the outside of the sides to raise the cabinet sufticiently to permit the part of the cover displaced in front to pass under the cabinet. l

4. Acabnet for the purpose described, su bstantially box-shaped and having two parallel sides permanently connected to each other, a flexible cover forming part of the balance of the inclosing sides, the same being fitted 

